Hurricane recovery assistance thinning out

Tuesday

Nov 27, 2012 at 6:31 PM

BATON ROUGE — While the Federal Emergency Management Agency continues to tweak its processes for case follow-ups and appeals, there's only one more day remaining for those affected by Hurricane Isaac to sign up to gain access to the disaster assistance system.

Jeremy AlfordCapitol Correspondent

BATON ROUGE — While the Federal Emergency Management Agency continues to tweak its processes for case follow-ups and appeals, there's only one more day remaining for those affected by Hurricane Isaac to sign up to gain access to the disaster assistance system. Registration for Louisiana residents will be closed by the end of midnight Thursday, although all toll-free phone numbers, Web addresses and other modes of contact will be maintained for those in the system by the end of the day. Over the past week, 12 new applicants have stepped forward in Terrebonne Parish, bringing the registration total to 3,809, said FEMA public information officer Ray Perez. For those deemed eligible, more than $3.3 million has been distributed. In Lafourche Parish, nine people have registered for disaster assistance over the past seven days, bringing the total there to 4,342 registrants, he said. As of Tuesday, FEMA financial assistance surpassed $3.8 million in the parish. Overall, since Isaac washed ashore in late August, the state and FEMA have approved more than $117 million in grants for eligible individuals and families statewide.But not everyone is approved for assistance, said federal coordinating officer Gerard M. Stolar. That's why FEMA has launched an initiative to reach out to more than 3,900 storm survivors who haven't been successful, he said. The program includes follow-up phone calls and home visits from a team of FEMA outreach liaisons charged with helping applicants with the appeal process, explaining letters they may have received from FEMA and aiding them in gathering the documentation needed for their claims.So far, outreach specialists have helped applicants in the state obtain more than $174,000 in rental assistance and nearly $358,000 in housing assistance.Stolar said FEMA is “reducing the number of survivors determined ineligible for federal assistance because of incomplete or missing information.”There are even cases, he added, where applicants should be asking for more assistance but aren't for whatever reason.“The recovery process is stressful for those who suffered great losses, and we want to make sure all survivors get the maximum grant they are eligible to receive,” Stolar said.Susan Tompkins, head of FEMA's individual assistance, said the new initiative is also allowing cases to be closed more quickly and referred to “long-term recovery committees” that can assist with any unmet needs.“This helps speed the pace of recovery for everyone,” Tompkins said. The individual assistance program allows impacted residents to apply to FEMA for aid and report their uninsured or underinsured property damage or destruction from the storm.The housing category provides cash payments for temporary housing, such as a hotel, home repair or construction. A more general category allows assistance for a variety of items ranging from medical and dental expenses to funeral and burial expenses.There's even some aid for clothing; household items; furniture; tools required for a specific occupation; fuel; cleanup supplies, like a wet-dry vacuum; damage to a vehicle; and moving and storage expenses. To register or to check the status of an application online, visit www.disasterassistance.gov, or m.fema.gov if you're using a smartphone or handheld device. By telephone, call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. For those with 711 relay or video relay services, call 1-800-621-3362. FEMA's phone lines operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Non-English speakers may receive assistance in the language of their choice by selecting “Option 3” when prompted.To begin the registration process, all participants will need their Social Security number, a description of their loss, all applicable insurance information, directions to the property in question and a contact telephone number. Additionally, all applicants will be given a number that should be recorded and kept in a safe place. The number will allow FEMA to keep track of your claim throughout the process.

Jeremy Alford can be reached at jeremy@jeremyalford.com.

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